C.P. official asked to make mayoral bid
Center Township trustee declines to run, urges party unity

CROWN POINT | Crown Point Deputy Police Chief Eldon Strong tacked his name Tuesday onto the list of prominent Republicans asked to run as an independent candidate for mayor in November.

Strong, who also is the Center Township trustee, confirmed he was asked by GOP members to consider joining the race but said he turned the offer down.

"I am Republican, and I support the person nominated by the Republican Party, who is Gayle Van Sessen," he said.
Strong is the third Republican to confirm being asked by party members to step into the race by members of the bitterly divided party. On Monday, longtime Crown Point City Councilman Mike Conquest and Lake County Councilman Larry Blanchard said they also had been approached to run for the city's top job.

Conquest turned the request down, and Blanchard said he still is considering his options.

The Crown Point Republican Party splintered during the heated May 8 primary that pitted Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gayle Van Sessen against incumbent Mayor Dan Klein. Both candidates' camps were publically chastised by Lake County GOP Chairman John Curley for what he called "slanderous allegations."

In the end, it was Van Sessen who secured the party's nomination. She moves on to face Democratic mayoral candidate David Uran in the general election. Uran secured more than 60 percent of the votes in the Democratic primary against developer Dan Jordan and resident Karin Mason.

Strong said he hopes the Republican Party will unify and forget bruised feelings.

"After a hard-fought election such as that, it takes some time for feelings to settle down," he said.